1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an improved apparatus for pressing fluid (e.g., rinse water) from fabric articles (e.g., laundry). More particularly, the present invention relates to a method and apparatus for pressing fluid from laundry articles wherein the press frame has a specially configured tie rod arrangement with improved fatigue performance.
2. General Background of the Invention
Laundry presses remove water from washed linen by hydraulically applying pressure. This force is developed by pressurizing a hydraulic ram pressing down on linen held in a pressure vessel. The water is pushed out of the linen into a slotted or apertured plate under the linen. The following patents (each incorporated herein by reference) relate generally to laundry presses and like devices.
TABLEISSUE DATEPATENTMM-NO.TITLEDD-YYYY1,359,745Ironing Machine11-23-19201,893,190Ironing Machine01-03-19332,142,202Ironing and Pressing Machine01-03-19392,531,890Indexing and Lock Mechanism11-28-1950RE 24,257Combined Washing and Squeeze Drying12-18-1956Machine3,071,878Ironing Machine01-08-19633,908,413Pressing Apparatus for the Pressure09-30-1975Extracting of Liquid3,924,425Presses for Washing12-09-19754,180,995Pressing Apparatus for Squeezing Laundry01-01-1980and the Like4,452,056Liquid Extracting Apparatus06-05-19844,471,637Apparatus for Dewatering Items of Washed09-18-1984Laundry4,525,935Method for Dewatering Items of Washed07-02-1985Laundry4,574,599Apparatus for Pressing Liquid from Cloth03-11-1986Goods4,676,079Appliance for Draining Washed Laundry06-30-1987Articles4,753,089Water-Removal Press for Textiles06-28-19885,001,911Ram Press for Expressing Liquid from03-26-1991Materials Being Pressed5,065,535Indexing System for Rotary Garment Press11-19-19915,331,755Ironing Press with Horizontally Rotatable07-26-1994Pressing Members5,970,637Automatic Shirt Pressing Apparatus10-26-1999Including a Vacuum System and AssociatedMethod
The primary structure of a laundry press frame provides a bottom and top plate held together with four posts or rods.
The prior art solid posts or rods are machined to create a top and bottom shoulder and then threaded on both ends. A fastening nut is then applied on the top and bottom.
The life of these posts are known to be compromised because the posts endure a significant amount of bending along with normal loss of preload tension due to wear.